KKP: Alligator Gar Fish Can Damage The Water Ecosystem

JAKARTA - Director General of Marine and Fishery Resources Supervision (PSDKP) of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) Pung Nugroho Saksono (Ipunk) explained that maintaining and trading alligator fish in Indonesia is prohibited because it has the potential to endanger other fish populations and can damage the water ecosystem.

This prohibition itself has been stipulated through the Regulation of the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the Republic of Indonesia Number 19/PERMEN KP/2020 concerning Prohibition of Income, Empowerment, Circulation, and Expenditures of Dangerous Fish Types and/or Harmful into and From the Management Area of State Fisheries of the Republic of Indonesia.

He added that alligator fish are included in the type of fish that is dangerous and/or detrimental to those that are wild or predatory for fish other species if they are released in Indonesian waters.

'Alligator gar is not a fish originating from Indonesia. If this fish escapes into public waters, it could threaten to reduce other fish populations and will damage the water ecosystem," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, September 17.

Ipunk added, until now there have been many cases of the water ecosystem damaged by the presence of these dangerous and harmful fish.

In the Sermo Reservoir, the Special Region of Yogyakarta, furthermore, the population of red devil fish has defeated the endemic fish of the reservoir, including tilapia, wader, nilem and tawes.

In the Wonorejo Reservoir, it was also found that the red devil fish invaded the reservoir. Then in rivers in Palembang, the population of belida fish is also threatened with extinction due to the existence of sweeping fish.

Not to mention the Lake Toba ecosystem which has also been damaged by the invasion of red devil fish, so that batak fish, goldfish, gubernatorial fish, mujair, HOLES and Steps are now rare to find in these waters.

Meanwhile, Acting Director of Fishery Resources Supervision Suharta revealed, the Directorate General of PSDKP together with the Provincial/Regency/City and Polairud Maritime Affairs Offices, in the last two years (2023-2024) have taken 18 prosecutions against dangerous and/or detrimental fish found in several locations in DIY, Jakarta, Blitar and Pontianak.

As many as 186 dangerous and/or detrimental fish consisting of alapaima, alligator gar, and pyropha have been destroyed in the surveillance operation.

Not only taking action, we also make preventive efforts through education to fish cultivators, ornamental fish hobbyists, ornamental fish traders, and Pokmaswas regarding the prohibition of maintaining and/or releasing dangerous and/or detrimental fish. Finally, we did it in Blitar and DIY," he explained.